NFL Capsules: Oakland at Pittsburgh
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OAKLAND (3-8) At PITTSBURGH (6-5)
1 p.m. ET, CBS
OPENING LINE - Steelers by 13 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD - Oakland 5-6; Pittsburgh 4-7
SERIES RECORD - Raiders lead 12-11
LAST MEETING - Raiders beat Steelers 20-13, Oct. 29, 2006
LAST WEEK - Raiders lost to Cowboys 24-7; Steelers lost to Ravens 20-17 in OT
RAIDERS OFFENSE - OVERALL (31), RUSH (20) PASS (32)
RAIDERS DEFENSE - OVERALL (29), RUSH (31), PASS (17)
STEELERS OFFENSE - OVERALL (9), RUSH (15) PASS (8)
STEELERS DEFENSE - OVERALL (3), RUSH (1), PASS (13)
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Steelers average 138 yards per game more than Raiders (372.4-234.4) and allow 88.5 yards per game fewer (376.9-288.4). ... Raiders are minus-8 in turnover margin, Steelers are minus-4. ... Raiders RB Justin Fargas averaged 5.3 yards per carry against Dallas in first start of season. Pittsburgh allows league-low 74.9 yards per game rushing. ... Raiders QB Bruce Gradkowski, former Pittsburgh-area high school star, was 5 of 16 for 18 yards and two interceptions - with passer rating of 1.0 - for Browns in 31-0 loss in Pittsburgh last season. Gradkowski has thrown five interceptions in two career starts in Pittsburgh. This will be his third start there with as many teams. ... ... Raiders' first-round pick Darrius Heyward-Bey had first career TD catch last week. ... Oakland has allowed NFL-worst 54 plays of at least 20 yards: 15 rushing, 39 passing. ... Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger threw four interceptions, two for touchdowns, during 2006 loss in Oakland - one week after sustaining concussion. He sat out Steelers' loss Sunday due to post-concussion headaches. ... Roethlisberger (2,807 yards) needs 193 yards for fourth consecutive 3,000-yard passing season. ... Steelers are playing first of two games in five days; they play at Browns (1-10) on Thursday. Steelers' remaining five opponents have .400 winning percentage, tied with Baltimore for lowest among 12 AFC teams within one game of .500 or better. ... Steelers failed to allow return touchdown last week for first time in nine games. ... Even if Steelers finish 5-0, Bengals (8-3) would have to go 2-3 for Pittsburgh to repeat as AFC North champions. ... Steelers LB LaMarr Woodley has four sacks in three games, with at least one in each game. ... No Steelers cornerback has interception this season. ... Steelers haven't lost four in row since losing five straight from Sept. 28-Nov. 2, 2003.
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